DAPITAN CITY—A nine-gold romp in swimming sparked by Dara Clariza Evangelista and eight more victories in chess and arnis yesterday allowed Davao City to close in on Zamboanga City in a frenetic battle for supremacy in the Mindanao leg of the POC-PSC Batang Pinoy Games here.
Evangelista, a 5-foot-5 beauty, dominated the girls’ 15-under division with four individual freestyle golds and one in the 200-meter medley relay. Her individual wins came in the 50, 200, 400 and 800 meters.
“I’m thankful I was able to compete here because for the past two years I wasn’t able to compete in the Palarong Pambansa even if I was qualified, because of conflict of schedule,” said the Colegio del San Ignacio high school junior.
Davao City came up with five golds in arnis and three in chess to remain within striking distance of Zamboanga City which remained on top with 31 golds, including seven victories in swimming yesterday. The leading contingent also has 19 silvers and 19 bronzes so far.
The Davaoenos had a gold-silver-bronze collection of 22-18-9 with Gen. Santos City, buoyed by triumphs in athletics, a far third with a medal output of 7-3-0.
Glenn Adrian Arsula sparked Zamboanga’s strong swim show by ruling the boys’ 11-12 200 free.
Denise Lagumbay prevailed in pinweight full contact to lead Davao City’s splurge in arnis. The other winners were Jennilyn Morcello (flyweight full contact), Jasmin Alabe (featherweight full contact), Catherine Lei Segura (bantamweight full contact), and Anthony Ceniza (welterweight full contact).
Cagayan de Oro managed to snare two golds in kata through Britney Josh Abines who ruled the girls’ anyo single weapon and anyo double weapon.
Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus earned six points each in boys’ standard and blitz for Davao City.